Adult Swim’s Dana Snyder and FRED’s Ken Plume set out to have a literate conversation between two pals, but inevitably devolve into a verbal, and funny, free-for-all full of bickering, infighting, and the special kind of male bonding that comes from conflict expressed through the podcast medium. This, dear friends, is the online experience!

I asked Twitter, because Ken says it always knows the answer... although Dana says Twitter never gives answers so I emailed Dana directly. Maybe he knew.

I quickly got some info from a user on Twitter who goes by the name Chancerubbage:

I also received an email from Dana who said it was "from an old lp" that he had given Plumey years ago "called something like 'I Love French Music'."

Now at this point I tried to see if my Blackberry music identifier app knew what it was. It didn't. So I downloaded something called Tunetanic. That didn't help.

Chancerubbage told me he tried Shazam. No dice. But then he wrote me this:

He then clarified it was a "Quintet." Yeah, I don't know what that means either.

Well, there it is! The show starts off with the song Idaho. Here is a different version of the track by the great Benny Goodman:

The version from the Bob Creash Quintet sounds like it's slightly slower or at a different pitch than the Snydecast bed, but I am pretty sure it's the same. You can find it on iTunes or download it free from Shoddity: LINK

A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Josh Cagan
In this episode, I have a chat with writer Josh Cagan about Learning Town, Muppets, bubbles, Earth-Pastel, Faux Frank, Panto Clarkson, Team Feh, Artisinal Quirk, and Amalgamated Affectations.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Looks like the cultural season is winding down not with a whimper, but a bang.It began early, on Thursday evening in Vero Beach, at Riverside Theatre’s opening of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.”All you needing a little lift should make plans to see one of the funniest productions I’ve seen on stage.The show is directed by James Brennan, who has has directed at the venerable Goodspeed in Connecticut, which is pretty lofty credits.The show stars Dana Snyder as the conniving slave Pseudolus, Stephen Berger as hen-pecked Senex, the wonderful Ron Wisniski as Lycus and Patrick Richwood as Hysterium. This foursome deliver some powerful laughs.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

The clip starts with the theater logo and Dana speaking part of the opening lines from the play:

"Playgoers, I bid you welcome. The theatre is a temple, and we are here to worship the gods of comedy and tragedy. Tonight, I am pleased to announce a comedy. We shall employ every device we know in our desire to divert you."

Then we are taken to footage of the opening number and 20 cast members on stage. Dana is the one in the middle:

Next we get Pseudolus, Senex, Hysterium and Lycus singing "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid"

Everybody ought to have a maid,

Someone who's efficient and reliable,

Obedient and pliable,

And quieter than a mouse!

Oh, oh, wouldn't she be so nimble,

Fiddling with her thimble,

Mending her gown.

Oh, oh, wouldn't she be delightful,

Next we see Patrick Ridgewood do a solo performance of the song "I'm Calm". You may remember Dana talked about him on one of the new Snydecasts. He played the elevator operator in Pretty Woman.

Now Dana returns to the clip and sings part of "Lovely" as Hysterium pretends to be a woman... and dead.

Perfect

Sweet and warm and winsome

Radiant as in some

Dream come true

Now

Venus will seem tame

Helen and her thousand ships

Will have to die of shame!

You're so lovely

Literally lovely

That the world will never seem the same!

"Now lie there, close your eyes, and think dead thoughts. Good!"

Then we get the big finale! Watch Dana in the scene as he makes out with the scenery, it's funny.

What is the moral?

Must be a moral

Here is the moral

Wrong or right:

(Pseudolus)

Morals tomorrow!

(All)

Comedy, comedy, comedy

Comedy, comedy, comedy

Comedy, comedy

Comedy tonight!

Enjoy this video, it's a great to be able to see Dana perform:

"A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum" in open now through May 6th at the Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach Florida.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Review: ‘A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum’
APRIL 15, 2012 PAM HARBAUGH

In the opening to “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” the prologue promises
“Comedy Tonight.” And Riverside Theatre’s brilliant artistic team delivers it big time, from beginning to end in a thoroughly professional production.

Riverside’s cast lives up well to the storied history of comic actors who have brought this show to life, including Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers, Dick Shawn, Jack Gilford and Nathan Lane.

Here, it is led by Dana Snyder, who was Max Bialystock in Riverside’s production of “The Producers” earlier this season. Although Snyder has his own understated, droll style (and, oh my what a rim-shot funny fake death scene), you can’t help but think Phil Silvers when watching his Pseudolus. In a way, his is a delicious homage to theater legend which has that Silvers turned down the role of Pseudolus for the original Broadway production because of his glasses. (Later, Silvers was Pseudolus for the 1972 production but was replaced after suffering a stroke.)

Stephen Berger breathes fun and exquisite timing into hen-pecked husband Senex. Riverside veteran Ron Wisniski brings his trademark double-take high energy and comic know-how to his portrayal of brothel owner Marcus Lycus. And what a find in Patrick Richwood, who, as head slave Hysterium, reveals uncommon talent and skill in physical comedy. This threesome, along with Snyder, serve up a great treat in the number “Everybody Ought to Have a Maid.”

"A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum" in open now through May 6th at the Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach Florida

Friday, April 13, 2012

Ken is on a panel at BlogWorld. Here is some info from the BlogWorld site:

BlogWorld is a must-attend social media event, hosting thousands of attendees from 50+ countries, with more than 200 speakers. This will be our second year in New York and we’ve planned 3 days of cutting-edge conference sessions and eye-opening keynotes. It’s not just the conference content that BlogWorld attendees boast about, 2012 attendees will also find a thriving tradeshow and great evening networking mixers. This is the only industry-wide event bringing the global community of content creators and publishers together all under one roof.

Let me get the bad news out of the way upfront... this is an industry event and as such it's expensive:

To see Ken's panel in person it will cost you a minimum of $297.

Ken is on the Wednesday June 6th panel entitled "The Multiple Ways To Make Money With Your Podcast."

Here is more info from the event website:

There are a number of ways that podcasters have found to generate serious income from their podcasting efforts. This panel session is made up of Podcasting experts that have tried and succeeded at monetizing podcasts using multiple methods. Session moderator Rob Walch, from Today in iOS and Wizzard Media, is joined by Chemda Khalili from Keith and the Girl, Paul Colligan from PaulColligan.com, and Ken Plume producer of the SModcast Network. These panelists will share their tips and advice on monetizing a podcast. Come prepared with your questions as this is one Q & A session you can’t afford to miss.Key Points1. You'll learn that really is possible to make money from your podcast.2. You'll be able to go home and put one or more of these strategies into place with your podcasting efforts.

It's wonderful news. I think we all like our Dana better with glasses.

You can catch Dana in "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum" from April 12 through May 6th at the Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach Florida.Visit riversidetheatre.com for more info and tickets!

Friday, April 6, 2012

Frank Dunlop born in Leeds, England, he was appointed CBE in 1977 and received the Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Literature presented to him by the French government in 1987. In 1974 he directed a revival of William Gillette's Sherlock Holmes, starring John Wood, at the Aldwych Theatre in London, which then enjoyed a long run in New York; where he again directed Scapino, starring Jim Dale, also seen in Los Angeles, Australia and Norway.

Anna D. Shapiro A member of the faculty of Northwestern University as head of the Graduate Directing Program in Theatre since the fall of 2002.
Her recent credits include the world premieres of Until We Find Each Other by Brooke Berman and The Pain and the Itch by Bruce Norris, the Chicago and Galway productions of Purple Heart, Three Days of Rain, Drawer Boy, I Never Sang for my Father, and Man from Nebraska.

Leopold Toodle Is an American stage play director best known for his work at the Smenkie Theatre on 42nd and Broadway. He has produced many shows over the years despite often being saddled with the worst producer in the business, Ken Plume. Plume often alienates the talent by contacting them on Skype and offering them "$10,000 a week, plus a car and free drinks."
Recently Toodle worked on a failed version of Cabaret and Funny Girl, both of which would have starred Dana Snyder.

Michael Howell Blakemore OBE (born 18 June 1928) is an Australian actor, writer and theatre director. In 2000 he became the only individual to win Tony Awards for best Director of a Play and Musical in the same year for Copenhagen and Kiss Me, Kate.

George Costello Wolfe is an American playwright and director of theater and film. He won a Tony Award in 1993 for directing Angels in America: Millennium Approaches and another Tony Award in 1996 for his direction of the musical, Bring in 'da Noise/Bring in 'da Funk. In 2000, Wolfe co-wrote the book and directed the Broadway production The Wild Party.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Ken is talking about the trip to Florida and mentions the trip to Shell World. Dana mentions Pennekamp.

Ken doesn't place the name at first, but John Pennekamp is the State Park where Ken and Dana took a glass bottom boat tour:
That was where the boys learn the horrors of the sea and the importance of Dramamine.
The trip was explained in detail on KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #69: One Fish Two Fish. Go ahead and give it another listen. You need to know all about the marine toilet.